Harsh ride

[jefftuck]

I've got a 2023.5 GT. Love the car, except for one thing. At times, the suspension seems to really be out of control.

I'm not really worried about the ride when driving over rough ground. It is what it is. What surprises me is how it responds to big changes on the highway, generally while driving fast. I've got several points on my commute where the road has a less than graceful transition, say from the normal road to a bridge. These may have a ramp up to a different surface. In the Mach-e, I feel like I'm on a roller coaster. The entire car launches up. When we get to the new surface, everything lands. Even the things in my car seem to be launched into space, then fall back down.

I'm coming from a more tame sedan. If you say this is just a sports car suspension, or just what I get for driving such a heavy car, then OK, I'll figure it out. However, I see that people are experimenting with other suspensions. I'm not looking for better track performance, but I'm also not looking for grandpa's lincoln continental ride. But is there something that works better for a Mach-e but doesn't launch the groceries into the air when I'm driving down the freeway?

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[Fremont Kid]

Aside from reducing speed, probably nothing else you can do. I'm not saying you are speeding, just that the speed, even legal speed, is probably more than the suspension can manage the MME weight to provide a smooth ride at the bridge. Vehicle weight and suspension are the culprits, I think.

 

[dbsb3233]

Not much. The stiff suspension is my biggest disappointment with the Mach-e. Nearly everything else I love though.

In town, I sometimes lower the tire PSIs from 39 to 35. Slight decease in stiffness, but not a lot.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Did your GT come with Magnaride? That’s really the only option without changing out suspension components. Other than that, you hit the nail on the head. It’s a “performance car” and performance cars are built with stiff suspensions. Also it is heavy, so that also means stiff suspension. It’s heavier than my F-150 but corners faster. So it needs stiffer suspension than my pickup.

 

[phil]

...where the road has a less than graceful transition, say from the normal road to a bridge.

I'm not clear on just what these 'transitions' are, but if it's mostly about things like bumps/depressions/changes in road level, I found these springs helped significantly on an older GT:

https://eibach.com/product/E10-35-054-04-22

Under $1k including installation and re-alignment. Not a grandpa ride, but less jarring. The stiff suspension was really the only thing that annoyed me about the car, and this softened it just enough that it no longer bothers me.


https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/eibach-gt-performance-springs-on-a-4xer.33926/

 

[markboris]

Agree with Phil above ^^^^. I think you should have these springs installed (or do it yourself like several of us have done) and you will lessen the jarring ride you have.

I also started a thread as I was the first one to install these Eibach lowering springs and have been extremely happy with them. They will not turn the car into a Lincoln but they will take the edge off that harsh ride.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/eibach-gt-pro-kit-lowering-springs-on-a-gtpe.33310/

 

[Cedars]

I have similar complaints with my 2023 GT (non-PE). If u install these, does it void the warranty? Can a dealer install them ?

 

[medriver]

The suspension is definitely strange, I came from a hatchback that would rattle your teeth over a bump and you felt everything but was super planted and you really had to push it to the limit for anything to feel the least bit unnerving.

The Mach E handles pretty well and I feel like the minor bumps in the road are handled without teeth rattling, but the car has some heft and everything it does just feels like it has more gravity. When you get a certain wave in the road she really shows the junk in the trunk and the car almost like bucks and feels like it could throw the contents of the back out at you in the front, it's probably the worst thing about the car honestly.

I have some of those bridge highway in transitions and if your going too fast the car feels like it gets airborne which is frightening for a 5000 lb vehicle.

Having the tires at the right pressure vastly improves the ride overall but does not solve the vomit comet problem.

To be honest other large heavy cars I've driven do this too but the problem is with the Mach E that the other aspects of the driving are so tight it really throws you.

 

[azerik]

It won’t fly very high off the ground, though it feels like it is. I’ve pushed mine hard over something’s I swore I’d hit the wall if I went any faster (once I had either the rear shocks or shocks and springs on). Fully ‘stock’ is quite unnerving when the back bounces 5 more times after the initial ‘jump’.

 

[Deleted member 19354]

Aside from reducing speed, probably nothing else you can do. I'm not saying you are speeding, just that the speed, even legal speed, is probably more than the suspension can manage the MME weight to provide a smooth ride at the bridge. Vehicle weight and suspension are the culprits, I think.

Dealer said the suspension is extremely stiff because of the low centre of gravity and the weight of the battery.

 

[ThomROC]

Not much. The stiff suspension is my biggest disappointment with the Mach-e. Nearly everything else I love though.

In town, I sometimes lower the tire PSIs from 39 to 35. Slight decease in stiffness, but not a lot.

Yes, that is what I do. I decreased the psi from 46 (dealer set), to 38 but now I hold it at 35. I tried 34 but the steering seemed to become a bit mushy. It doesn't take but a few miles of driving for the psi to increase to 38 , which is the recommended psi as found inside the door.

 

[Fremont Kid]

As I understand the posted psi level, it is the cold level. I expect this level is recommended so that the warm/hot psi is not too high. But then I've not studied tire pressures.

 

[jasn]

I agree that the suspension is groomed for more of a performance level. In addition, there are times driving my '21 Premium ER I have moments, especially in turns that also have a pronounced rise or fall, when the car does not behave as I am used to driving ICE cars. I credit that to the heavy battery and a different center of gravity and balance. I don't drive cars very hard (anymore ) so don't find the sensation very insecure. YRMV.

 

[dbsb3233]

As I understand the posted psi level, it is the cold level. I expect this level is recommended so that the warm/hot psi is not too high. But then I've not studied tire pressures.

Yes, the baseline for tire PSI is always measured and set cold. Even though we see it rise 2-3 points on the TPMS display as we drive, especially at speed on the highway.

 

[Dysan911]

I have a 23.5 GT as well and installed the Eibach lowering springs, Koni rear adjustable shocks. Oh and I also have the Eibach sway bars too.

The Springs really cut the harshness you describe when you transition from one road time to another. I mean like half of it IMHO.

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